Hobbies make your business run better

By Amber Daines

As an entrepreneur your business can be all-consuming and the to-do list probably gets longer by the day, especially as you grow and evolve. However, it is also true that being a full-time workaholic is not going to be the best way to keep your business healthy, let alone you.

However, the big time money makers and leaders out there have proven that spending hours working and not much else is a recipe for longer term problems, especially once your home life become blended, your exercise patterns become non-existent and your brain really never gets  chance to switch off from the grind.

I have rediscovered my love of long distance running and collecting art recently – something I did for years all the time, long before I ran my PR agency and had a husband and two kids to care for. It has made me not only feel better but actually reignited fresh ideas and creative focus into my business operations.

Hobbies or interests away from the desk are really important to our mental and emotional wellbeing as well as our productivity, focus, and general social value to others. The late Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, was famous for his walking meetings – where many of his best product ideas came to the fore he later claimed such as the iPod – rather than stuck seated inside at a lab or Apple office facility. It is a common theme too.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a keen golfer, Sir Richard Branson’s favourite sport is kite boarding, and investor Warren Buffett plays online bridge. Great examples of game changers using their free time to simply do what they enjoy.

A few tips to get your over-active business mind away from the meeting room and into the hobby zone are:

1. Discover your favourite old hobby again: Think about you used to love doing before you got too busy with your career or business plans. It could be fishing, Pilates, skiing in the winter or surfing in the summer. Hiking, kayaking, painting, singing, dancing– whatever it may be, do it again and make a weekly slot for it.
2. Go for a walk: That may not sound much like a hobby does it? But it can be. If you make it a point every day to take at least one 10 to 60 minute walk it will turn into something you won’t want to stop doing – and your health will get a massive boost. When the weather is warm, enjoy it as much as you can. It’s also a free activity that you can do when you’re anywhere!
3. Volunteer your time: Spending time volunteering or actively supporting a cause is really important way to spend your time that has a 100% feel-good value. When you are supporting a local or global cause or organisation that is important to you, your mind will be focused on what you can do next to help them. This is one of the best win-win hobbies to have because not only are you aiding in your own well-being but you are making your community better as a whole.
4. Get creative: And, no, we aren’t talking about creating a new business plan. Jump outside the box. Ever want to write a book? Start it. Want to finish that painting you started last year? Grab the paint brushes. Love music? Play the piano or sing in a group. Whatever creative activity really gets you going, focus your energies on that for a while. Adult colouring-in books are the latest craze for a good reason. They are reminding us to be creative and harnessing mindfulness.
5. Learn something new: It is always fun to be a student. Find a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about and then read as much as you can on it or do a course, even online if time is an issue. Teach yourself something new and you never know where it could take you.

Whatever past time you choose, getting your mind off of your day-to-day business demands can really reboot you on every level. Try it!